[ summer oh - six ]

Summer 2006 - A Plan

• Serve, love & share life with the Cracker Barrel staff. Dig deep to find out what makes them 'tick.' Spend time outside of work with a few of the girls as time progresses. "Preach the gospel at all times..." (St. Francis of Assisi)
  
• Build into Kristin, Beth and Meredith. Spend time with Julie, Erica, Sara and Jenna.
• Love & serve my family.
  
• Pray boldly and often. Spend time with God in the morning and at night; walk in the Spirit.
  
• Study Philippians & Colossians inductively. Pray that God would give me passion for and understanding/perspective of His Word.
  
• Read a book or so a week. Pray that God would bless others through this blog.
• Write daily (blogging, nonfiction, for print media around here, journaling).
• Keep in contact with people from Muskingum (especially through e-mail, snail mail and phone calls).
• Treat friends to meals out whenever possible.
• Help lead worship (singing, giving messages) at our church's informal service at the marina.
• Pray about volunteering with Victory Kitchen or another nonprofit agency on a regular basis (once or more per week). Become more (effectively) socially aware & involved.
  

[ fall 2006 ]

My Life Next Semester

"Wasting Time" With God

• Commit to substantial time with God before class. Trust in Him to meet with me daily & provide sufficient energy each morning.
• Commit to consistent personal inductive Bible study.
• Carve out time and space for being alone to enjoy God beyond quiet times - running, writing, blogging, reading, walks through the hollow, playing guitar, listening to music, etc.
• Pray for wisdom, perspective and vision. Pray boldly that God would continue to transform the face of Muskingum.
  

Discipleship

• Continue to disciple & spend time with Laura.
• Pray specifically about having a Life Group with 2 or 3 other women who live on Kelley 1. Talk to these women soon after school begins. Disciple these women. Pray with them; pray for them.
• Time with Meg.

Kelley Hall

• Know the name of every single resident in Kelley Hall. Encourage them daily.
• Make desk hours count.
• Pursue friendship with the Kelley RA staff & Bob. Serve them.
• Have a conversation with every Kelley 1 resident by the end of the first week of school.
• Programming, floor meetings, time with girls: maximize time. Work to establish teamwork amongst Kelley 1 (intramurals, Kelley Hall competitions, etc.). Spend quality time with freshman girls.
• Trust in God to achieve unity and vision with Amy. Dialogue often with her. Have fun together outside of floor activities & RA stuff.
• Pray boldly for the Spirit's leading & missional community in Kelley Hall.
• Earn the right to be heard through relational evangelism. Trust in God's working through initiative evangelism.

Campus Crusade for Christ

• Meet weekly with the Primetime Team to pray, cast vision and plan Primetime. Incorporate a short devotion led by a different team member each week.
• Pray daily for Servant Team members & for our team (Evan, Emily, Angela & Keith).
• Work to equip other team members & Primetime speakers for mission and ministry (specifically, scheduled weekly meetings with Evan & the student giving the talk).
• Take a half-hour before Primetime to focus and pray.
• Pray about a small group Bible study with a few other ST members.
• Pray about future leadership with CCC (throughout & beyond Muskingum).
• Embrace the relevant, authentic gospel of Jesus Christ. Share it often.

B&M/Journalism

• Commit to good design & articles for the Lifeline section.
• Keep up with religion, faith & ethics issues online and through print media.
• Trust in God for thoughtful, creative and encouraging commentaries.
• Spend time with other B&M staffers in and out of the office, especially Meryl.
• Dialogue with and serve Dr. Wagner whenever possible.
• Pray for, encourage & serve students in journalism-related classes.
• Pray for a broadcast/electronic media internship, and for God to be glorified in the midst of 'earning credit hours.'

Free time

• Meet with Jerry often.
• Keep in contact with Huron friends and family.
• Spend less time online (AIM, Facebook, etc.).
• Take time to support college 'happenings' (music, athletics, lectures, CenterBoard/Student Life sponsored events).

Stewardship

• Pray about where to give 10% of earnings (supporting through Crusade, College Drive Presbyterian Church, etc.).
• Save for Spring 2007/Fall 2008 tuition.
• Treat others whenever possible.
• Do not aimlessly spend!

Relationships

• Pray for my family & friends daily.
• Pray with friends each evening (11:15-ish pm). Engage them in fruitful conversations. Make time count. Enjoy & uplift one another.
• Pray for those who I live, study and work with - classes, B&M, RA staff, Kelley Hall, professors, Student Life.
• Pray for God's will to be accomplished in every current, developing and future relationship.

[ from me to Him ]

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend my friend Sharon's wedding in Warren, PA. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun (if Muskies are involved, good times are pretty much inevitable!). :)

Joel and Sharon have such a cool relationship that has been transformed by God over the course of 5 or 6 years, and I am looking forward to seeing how the Lord uses them as 'one' united - in D.C., their workplaces, new friendships...how awesome.

God so uniquely works through married couples. In the past few years, I've been able to be, in a sense, a 'beneficiary' of couples with big faith & big servant-hearts. Before Matt (my high school YL leader) & Janet were married, Janet was pursuing friendship with me, and as I am beginning to understand now, building into me with the wisdom & faith she had (abundantly) received from God. After they were married, Matt & Janet would have me over for dinner, praise & worship and conversation with their friends. Their interest in me wasn't based in charity or obligation, but in their faith in God's desire to reach me.

I saw this in Andrew & Dee, too. Andrew & Dee moved to Huron within a few weeks of Matt and Janet's decision to move to Massachusetts for seminary. Andrew & Dee graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI and were volunteer leaders for YL throughout college. During their time in Huron, Dee volunteered as the assistant cross country coach and weekly had cross country girls & their friends over for Bible studies, sleepovers (I think we watched Tommy Boy about 15 times over the course of a few years) & random co-ed events like Laser Tag and, of course, YL Fall Retreat. :) Yesterday, Andrew & Dee made the drive from South Carolina to go to Huron High School's graduation ceremony. Even though Andrew & Dee only lived in Huron for a few years, you should have seen how many students (from a 6 or 7 year age range!) wanted to talk to them after the ceremony. They're praying about moving back to Huron. God is good.

Kirk and Sarah, who serve together in SE Ohio Young Life, have really demonstrated the grace of God to the high school students and YL partners they've worked with in the past two years. God is at work in their marriage & it is exciting to see students come to know a living, interactive God because of the Spirit's working in their lives. One aspect of their marriage that is really cool is that they have the ability to make others feel acknowledged & accepted nearly immediately. God really uses that in their ministry together.

At the reception, Joel's best man (who roomed with Joel this past year at Carnegie Mellon) gave a funny, honest & pretty poignant toast. He talked about how, in Joel and Sharon's very presence together, Jesus just "flows" (I think that's the word he used) out of them, and God's love is revealed very tangibly. He went on about His own earlier perception of "Sunday Christians," and how his friendship with Joel both challenged that assumption and led him to believe in "this Jesus who was real and whose claims affected my life in big ways" (not a direct quote, but hopefully fairly accurate!). It was really beautiful.

***

Though I am not in a relationship and probably won't be married for awhile, I desire this.

This summer, I want to be so actively immersed in God that I - my own needs, wants, personality, accomplishments - are stripped away and nothing stands in between others being able to know and love the God who has pursued and accepted me.

I desire this not only because I see those around me aching for fulfillment, but because I am being continually humbled by God's design of using those who lay everything - every aspect of their lives - at the foot of the Cross.

***

There is a very gripping account of Jesus' wrestling with God in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark's Gospel:

"Going a little farther, [Jesus] fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will.' Once more he went away and prayed the same thing." (Mark 14:35-39)

I often overlook Jesus' struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane because I have almost trained myself (often academically) to jump to the 'big picture' immediately: God's work in Jesus through the 'big two' -- His crucifixion and resurrection.

How powerful is it, though, that our Lord was broken even before His journey to the Cross? I am in awe. In Jesus' communication with God even before His death, He was living out an interactive relationship with God. (In fact, the best, most authentic relationship with God we can see anywhere.) In His brokenness, He cries out, but does not waver from His commitment to God's redemption of an entire Creation.

***

I must become broken before God for others to see His transparency in the same way I have seen Him working through these couples. Broken so that I will be able to see the same need that God sees in these people, and broken so that His Spirit can fill and empower me to grasp the work He has begun in my life.

This is approaching the 1000-word mark, so I'll close for now. More on this later, though.

Love you guys.

-Jessie

[ a few thoughts - II ]

God's passion for the 'unloveable' strips away any understanding of love I can have or give on my own will.

God is in the trenches. He calls us there. We resist; He presses on.

Intervention -- not just jargon.

Jesus, lead on.

Love you guys.

-Jessie

[ real rest ]

I worry.

It's true.

My inner dialogue:

a.) Oh, but everyone worries.

b.) It doesn't really matter; it's a fact of life.

and...

Get over it.

Real life:

a.) Downloading Weather Channel to my desktop before Relay For Life and checking it, on the hour, until about 4 a.m. each day before the event. (Keep in mind I have a lot of control over the weather. Right.) At about 5 p.m. on 'Relay Day,' tornado warnings were released over the Internet & we had to temporarily move into our college's Rec Center for a few of our ceremonies. Get this: it didn't phase anyone. (Imagine that, Jess!)

b.) "Kaylah (my roommate), I'm just not sure about this, this or that." (Frequently.)

"Jessie, don't worry about it."

Get this: she was right. Every time! (She always is; she just knows!)

c.) Procrastinating (for a few weeks, no joke) on a religion paper that was already late because I was nervous about what the professor would say to me. He eventually approached me & said, "Don't worry about it." (That evening, I wrote the paper. Random side note: it only had to be two pages; not even a big deal! Especially considering I like writing papers. Agh!)

***

We've been told a lie, really.

A lie that says our worry (about our work, the weather(!), relationships) jumpstarts productivity; that it will eventually 'make a difference' in the long run; that by 'being concerned,' something better is bound to happen.

The thing is, our day-to-day worrying usually doesn't move us to action. When I am nervous about something, it's usually centered on me and the things that I have to accomplish, or even more often, how it will affect people's perception of me. I can't think of a time recently when I've been so worried about, say, the reality of hunger (even here in 'upper middle class' suburbia) that I've driven straight to the soup kitchen in Sandusky & asked to serve for the day. It just doesn't work like that. We sweat the small stuff.

***

One thing about Jesus that continually astounds me is His boldness in representing the character of God. Let not your hearts be troubled, He says. I am the way… (John 14:1,6) No half-hearted, empty truth here. In fact, just the opposite -- Jesus calls His disciples to real confidence and faith in a God who has met all their needs. He says, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Not just the recommended 8 hours, but real rest!

I want this; I want others to have this. I want this because worry keeps me from engaging others in real relationships; friendships embedded in Christ & yielding real fruit (Galatians 5). What's more, I want my sense of being efficient in worry to be continually replaced by a reflection that is so much greater than any image I can conjure up on my own - God's reflection, in Jesus -- a reflection of life. Of redemption. Of big-time hope.

Keep seeking Him.

-Jessie

[ throwin' it back... ]

Speaking of Young Life (see previous post: 5/21, I think), I was looking through photos late this evening (early morning, really!) and found this one. It's kind of funky (blog-esque? -- haha, right...). I wish I could read the lyrics that are making their way up to the projection screen (err...white sheet). Timmy (a sophomore now @ OSU; probably leading Young Life there) & I are helping to lead Club in this pic. Sometimes I miss leading Young Life, but I'm really grateful for where God has me now. He really does desire to use and equip us 'where we are.'


Hopefully when school starts up again, I can begin to post photos from Primetime 9:09, our outreach-based weekly meeting that is part of Muskingum's Campus Crusade for Christ.

-Jessie

[ a few thoughts ]

God is gathering a people to Himself.

This is both exciting and a bit daunting, honestly, because I am being made more aware of my leaning toward 'super-personalized' faith -- understanding and pursuing relationship with God but not quite seeing the 'whole' picture consistently -- the picture, really, of a God who has offered Himself in flesh to redeem an entire Creation -- and who is pursuing and desiring to meet with others as much as He is with me.

***

A friend and I were at a Bible study a few months ago led by one of our religion professors at Muskingum. Our professor took the group through the book of Ruth -- a moving story of relationship between two women and their desperation-turned-joy (if you haven't had the opportunity to read Ruth, take a look at it -- it's really wonderful).

Though Ruth is a foreigner to the land, she is obedient to the LORD and faithful to her relationship with Naomi, her mother-in-law:

"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." -Ruth 1:16-18

(Isn't that beautiful?)

Ruth and her genuine trust in a God who both works in spite of (...and through?) ingrained cultural and social barriers: big.

God's design of working through individual people to fulfill His purposes for an entire people: really, really big.

***

The paradox of God actively working in the world regardless of us and because of us is intriguing and new...and pretty challenging, too.

In wrestling with my own fundamental insignificance and God's significance and how the two can coexist, I am pushed to endure in faith in God's plan -- a plan that is, in its very essence, being revealed to people all around the world...even now.

***

I love the simple lyrics of David Crowder Band's Come and Listen (from their A Collision album):

Let me tell you what He has done for me
He has done for you
He has done for us
Come and listen
Come and listen to what He has done

In my frequent attempts to understand the 'whole picture' of what God is doing in my life and in those around me, it is assuring to know that I need only listen.

Thoughts?

Love you guys.

-Jessie

[ UV & the Cavs ]

Praise God for sunny days and spending time with people you love.

Random note: it is a sad day in Cleveland today. Yes, it's true -- I jumped on the NBA bandwagon this week.

Oh...thanks, all, for your encouraging thoughts and comments. I'm looking forward to even more dialogue with you in the upcoming months.

Enjoy God today.

-Jessie

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love."

-John 15:9

Pre-post thought: Most of my blogs lately have stemmed from some sort of book I've been reading or skimming, so really, I've been reflecting upon ideas that other people have already published. I think this is good for now, but I've been thinking: if I'm going to work toward being published someday, whenever that is, I need a lot of my own ideas.

But when it comes down to it, they won't be my own ideas anyway.

Thanks be to God for that.

You're now thinking: Jessie! Stop being so random and get on with the post.

I'll reply: Okay. You win. :)

The Kingdom of Couches has been a good read so far. I really love creative nonfiction that challenges, fights for and digs deeper into critical faith issues. KOC succeeds in the "missional community" field, I think. (Walker serves on staff with Campus Crusade at the University of Texas and has written for Relevant; cool, huh?)

I may have to get permission from Walker at some point for this, but this passage blew me out of the water:

So where does the Bible fit into spiritual life? For most people it fits into what they have come to call "quiet times." I was taught to have quiet times, first as a child in the corner, and then as a adult at the coffee shop. Both are wonderful and should be treasured as part of the American way of life. What I don't understand, though, is how the Bible got mixed up with quiet times the way it did. Never have two simple words so shaped the way people think about what it means to study the Bible, or to be a Christian for that matter. The approach has been common, even prescriptive:

1.) Find a quiet place, maybe some music in the background, coffee/tea, comfy chair, etc.
2.) Read something in the Bible. Read for at least fifteen minutes (this seems to be the minimum requirement).
3.) If you have questions get them answered immediately by reading a commentary.
4.) Journal and/or pray.
5.) Impress someone with what you have learned (optional, and for experienced Christians only).

This would by most standards be considered a good approach to Bible study. That it may be, but it is not the best approach to learning. I am biased, of course, because I fail miserably at the whole quiet time agenda. It's been awhile since I have read the Bible this way: privately, quietly, devotionally. I have read and discussed it with people, read it to prepare for talks and small groups, written about some of its passages and ideas, and read a few complimentary books along the way. So either I am not a good Christian or it is possible to learn from the Bible and love Jesus/people apart from this approach. Perhaps both are true.

It seems to me that the Bible is meant to be read aloud, heard in community, talked about at dinner, applied to actual life, debated -- anything but confined to the comfy recesses of my "devotional life." I am not suggesting that we should not read the Bible alone. My friend Jonathon points out the dangers of throwing out personal reading:

"Personal choice and discipline are critical for cultivating intimacy with the Lord whenever one is apart from community. If this discipline is not developed, the community will become a crutch and not a catapult in the aim for holy living."

Hopefully you were able to trudge through all of that. Basically, I wanted to take Walker's sentence that I italicized above and put it into context, because I think it's big and really, really true.

Paul crossed my mind as I read that passage.

As he addressed each church, we can see a glimpse of how much passion he has for the people. Not just, "Here's the deal, guys...this is what God has called me to do and this is how you are a part of it," but something more like, "This is my life assignment! I desire for you to know this!" (Really, that doesn't even begin to convey Paul's passion for God's people!)

On the other side of the spectrum, I can imagine the people addressed in Paul's letters were pretty shaken up by some of Paul's words -- after all, he desired big faith in a big God -- and, really, in a huge program in which they were actively involved.

I often find myself in the mindset of 'minimums,' not really allowing God to shake up my world through His Word. And the thing is...He wants to; I can feel Him urging me to dig deeper. To dig deeper so that I can too be passionate about His gospel -- His message of sin-shattering, redemptive love and eternal hope -- for my life, for those I know and love, for those I work with, for those I will come to know in years ahead. He desires our willingness to first delve into the Bible and then our trust in His provision for understanding of His Word.

***

Over the past few years, I've had the chance to hear a few people who have so seamlessly integrated the gospel into messages and conversations. Through their passion, I've experienced God. (Have you experienced this? I'd love to hear your stories. E-mail me sometime: jessicam@muskingum.edu)

Chris Buda, who is our region's Young Life director (I was involved in Young Life throughout high school and was a volunteer leader my freshman year at Muskingum) spoke at a leadership retreat in January 2005.

(Chris, who is referred to as "Buda" most of the time, is one of those guys who Young Life staff, volunteer leaders and kids talk about all the time. I've never met anyone in the ministry quite like him. He's amazing.)

One talk Buda gave was on John 4 -- Jesus' meeting with the woman at the well. As he read the passage, reflected upon it and related it to our ministry with high school kids, I couldn't help but thank God for Buda's obedience. Sheer trust. His trust in an extraordinary God to work through Him in big, big ways. John 4 came alive. Buda wanted us to understand Jesus' passion for the woman -- and really, for all those who were/are marginalized. He desired for us to apply that to our own relationships with high schoolers.

***

The gospel message can bring us to our knees -- to tears -- to understanding -- to action.

Let's pray that we would too desire for others to know and love the gospel. Its message is more than enough for each of our lives. After all, He is more than enough.

Love you guys.

-Jessie

Random post. There's been quite a few of these lately. :)

I was thinking about our junior/senior English teacher today (Erica, if you read this, we should definitely have a lunch date with Mrs. Warren this summer!) and was reminded of our poetry unit senior year & how cool it was to read some of the stuff we did. The journalism majors take "English" classes at Muskingum because it's an interdisciplinary major, but really, we don't have the chance to dig into the good stuff like the English majors (e.g., Joe and Alicia).

So here's a taste of good ol' George Herbert for the day. It looks really cool on paper because Herbert did sweet formatting (I'm not sure if that's the right term, but it sounded semi-accurate). For some reason, it's not allowing for line breaks in between the stanzas. I'll fix that later.

Easter Wings

Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store,

Though foolishly he lost the same,

Decaying more and more,

Till he became

Most poore:

With Thee

O let me rise,

As larks, harmoniously,

And sing this day Thy victories:

Then shall the fall further the flight in me.

My tender age in sorrow did beginne;

And still with sicknesses and shame

Thou didst so punish sinne,

That I became

Most thinne.

With Thee

Let me combine,

And feel this day Thy victorie;

For, if I imp my wing on Thine,

Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

Lately I’ve been doing some major unpacking. It’s the first time in a couple years so that I’ve been home for more than a few weeks, so you can imagine the piles of junk that have accumulated.

Dad and I went out to our storage unit earlier this week to sort though some of those huge Rubbermaid containers that hold everything, including (but definitely not limited to):

-Approximately one dozen sheets of Valentine’s Day window clings. (There must have been a huge sale at some point. A bit ridiculous!)

-Relay For Life hats, bags, brochures, pens, you name it. (I write this so that you know I have a lot of Relay stuff & I am willing to give it away.)

-Random textbooks (e.g., Java something-or-another) from classes I thought I could handle (e.g., Computer Science I).

-Scrapbooks & homemade videos from middle school projects. (I write this so that you can too recall your middle school years…oh, good times.)

Really, though, I couldn’t believe how much stuff has piled up, even since I have been at Muskingum: Christmas gifts that have already collected dust -- clothes that I just don’t need – boxes and boxes full of things. Lots of things that I have forgotten about…and haven’t needed or even missed.

***

Will Walker, in his 2005 Cru Press release The Kingdom of Couches, writes that:

“Along the way, I discovered something I didn’t expect: people. I realize that people are everywhere. My life began when I came out of a person, and since then, having never resided in Montana or in outer space, I’ve been immersed in humanity. This doesn’t bother me in the least because I like people. I just never thought I would need them.”

After I bought the book and first read this passage, I think my mouth sort of just awkwardly gaped open for a few seconds because it was so strikingly true. And so simple at that.

People, all around? Of course. People, all around and an integral part of my own life? I think not.

At Muskingum there’s this sort of cheesy but fairly accurate notion of the “Muskie Hello.” Basically, it’s pretty common for those on campus to say ‘hey’ to others as they’re walking, even if they’re not familiar with the person. If you’re really fortunate, sometimes you’ll get a “Hey. How are you?” – to which you reply (no kidding – every time!), “Fine, How are you?” – to which they say, well, usually nothing, because we usually don’t take the time to stop and ask others what’s really up in their lives.

***

Photo by Jeanna Henderson

I’m beginning to learn that people – and our overwhelming need for them – can’t even begin to compare to the other things in our life – even really important and necessary things like our jobs and houses and cars.

I think I am beginning to learn this not because I have necessarily always put people before things or have really had to scrape for money in order to meet basic needs, but because recently I’ve been getting to know a few friends who have trusted God with the basic ‘things’ and have turned toward spending their energy and efforts in building relationships. Real, thriving and meaningful relationships. It’s been cool to see.

I need this. We need this. We need human interaction. In our interacting with others, we will continue experience tough love and undoubtedly some tough growth too. (I would contend that community is the 100% surefire way of experiencing tough love and growth. With one another, with God. Beautiful!)

Let’s move from ‘just close enough' to authentic intimacy.

Our communities depend on it. Our lives will wither without it.

Keep serving Him.

-Jessie

After about 20 minutes of lying in bed and not sleeping, I thought to myself, “Why not write for awhile?” (I know the normal time to fall asleep is 20 minutes, but whew, clocking in college hours quickly finds you hitting the pillow & thirty seconds later stumbling into R.E.M.! Okay, not really, but you get the idea.)

So…here I am.

Anyway, my last post (scroll down a bit; or maybe not even at all!) talked about the latest issue of Relevant and how it’s been “rocking my world.” (I’m such a dork, but really, it has!)

I love Relevant Publishing because the company has really sweet vision for convergence amongst the new genre of Christian media. I feel like they are making headway in the ‘ideal’ of a joining of broadcast, electronic & print media for young adults. The cool thing about Relevant & other similar publishers (I really like Cru Press & a few other companies who aren’t necessarily ‘Christian,’ but whose labels include Christian writers) is that they are rooted in Christ and are committed to being genuine and encouraging progressive thought. They want to be real; they want their media to invoke change. I want to be part of a ministry that’s like that, whether I’m writing or not.

David Crowder (whose band, for yet another random DCB factoid, will be releasing an acoustic version of their 2005 hit album A Collision in June – entitled B Collision) really did have a sweet article in the May/June issue of Relevant.

I wish Relevant's Web site posted their current issue’s articles, but they don’t, so you’ll have to put up with my not-really-up-to-par synopsis of Crowder’s piece. Actually, I think I’m going to write it in list form – it’ll be easier to read that way, because I’m bound to go on a tangent:

-DC’s wife likes massages.
-DC agrees to couple’s massage.
-DC is nervous about couple’s massage. (Root: uncertainties about massage ‘etiquette.’ Can you blame him?!)
-DC and his wife arrive at nice spa place to receive massages.
-DC backs out of massage, almost. But he decides to go for it.
-DC walks into massage room, e.g., huge palace-type area with lots of waterfalls & pretty things.
-DC is still unsure what he should do.
-DC decides to take a dip in one waterfall’s adjacent pool. Naked. He quickly realizes the pool is only about knee-deep.
-Strange sound.
-Random guy walks in.
-Random guy makes random comment. (Something like, “You should check out that other fall. It’s great.”)
-Random guy walks out.
-DC relates (very…well, random) event to nakedness before God. In a much more memorable, witty way than this list does.

In all seriousness, you should check out the article if you have a chance (let me know if you want a copy). It got me thinking about a few things:

God’s grace in our raw state: Mark Steele, one of those cool ministry-media-author gurus, wrote in his recent book that God loves us raw, even when we come to Him ‘refined.’ How cool. And how vital for a fallen world, that our Creator would not only accept us, but really desire for us to understand and respond to the huge length He went to in order to bridge that gap. A stepping-into-flesh hugeness.

The image of God & our call to be Christ’s body: What overwhelms me is that we, as followers of Jesus, are bare (…and barren, really) before God – but that He uses that! His image is written upon our hearts; branded into our very lives, and we are urged to press on and be Jesus to a world aching for authenticity. He works in spite of our sometimes ugly nature – quenching us with new life. Not life related to a Woohoo! Everything is great! mindset (I, for one, too often depend on these feelings), but life-giving based in constancy and real fulfillment.

Our transparency before God -> transparency before others: There are a few friends with whom I feel I can be completely honest. That is so refreshing! (I hope you have a few friends like that. Really, I pray that you do.) The even cooler thing about our inherent nakedness before God (and continual acceptance of that) is that it deepens our friendship with others. Our interactions become less about us and the image we’d like to portray to the world…and more about Him and His revolutionary, rich image. We grow. It’s beautiful.

I pray that you and I would be able to trust that God works not only in spite of, but because of our unrefined nature.

I love that.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

I've been doing a lot of writing & reading lately, but haven't gotten to posting in awhile. Look in the next few days for something worthwhile to read (I hope!).

In other news:

-I was hired at the Cracker Barrel in Sandusky, OH (about ten minutes from my hometown of Huron) for the summer. Training began today and went really well; I'm pumped.

-It's been good to be home. My prayer is that God would use me, in all reality, where I am. It is in the midst of our 'ordinary' that God desires to move. I love that.

-My brother Josh gets confirmed this weekend & my other brother John graduates next weekend. (John is one of four valedictorians of his class. I'm a proud sister.) Change is all around. It's exciting.

-Muskies are heading out to be Jesus' hands and feet all over the globe this summer! Pray that wherever we are, we would be teachable, anxious to be molded and able to share a compassionate, transforming gospel with all those we encounter.

-The latest issue of Relevant has been rocking my world! Pick it up if you have a chance. There's a sweet feature on the up-and-coming Derek Webb, a hilarious and honest piece by the David Crowder (who, in fact, will be releasing a book this fall -- woohoo!) and some really good articles on how to (practically and efficiently) become more socially active.

-I was surfing the Web and came across a sweet blog whose author writes about how God loves His Creation with "reckless abandonment," and how we too are (urgently!) called to that. To love God and His people big-time. (I use that phrase way too often.) What's holding me back? What's holding us back?

Look for another post soon.

Love you guys.

-Jessie

"O, the fullness, the pleasure,
the sheer excitement of knowing God here on earth."
-Jim Elliott

In the last two weeks or so, I've been struck by how God shows Himself to us through our setting everything aside -- our worries, our workload, even our time with loved ones.

As we fall on our knees, we're filled in the only way that is able to sustain us, and more importantly, the only approach capable of sending us forward to deal with what is our day-to-day 'reality.'

***

This school year I've found 'fellowship time' here at school to be memorable --really memorable-- and fulfilling. There's something really amazing about being friends with people who understand and support you...who love you regardless of the crap you get yourself into...who will affirm you and who will ineveitably hit you with some truth once in awhile.

Something I've been learning about lately, though, has been the absolute necessity of time with God. The phrase "spending time with God" used to annoy me, actually -- probably because I had misconceptions of what that was all about -- something related to offering up a sort of 'time sacrifice' or 'tithe' to God in hopes of 'revelation,' and probably because I wasn't really doing it.

Okay, so anyway, I am beginning to see how time spent with others in community is fully reliant on individual intimacy with God. I feel like I've heard this at least a thousand times before, but it's becoming more of a reality now, I think.

The only thing of real substance I can offer to others is a relationship with a living, transcendent God. If I'm not allowing Him to move through me, then my own relationships will run dry. And have, at one point or another.

God's funny, you know. He nudges us when we are just fine with stagnancy, quenching us with this power of His that literally pushes us -- past passivity...way past being settled or comfortable. And He uses our relationship with Him to deepen our friendships with others, learning to better love and serve them and allowing our time in community to collectively draw us closer to God.

God has so uniquely crafted you and is seeking friendship with you. Just turn around a bit -- He's there; He's been there and He will be there -- pouring out such love and mystery upon your life and mine.

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
-2 Corinthians 3:18

Love you all.

-Jessie

You're with me
and now i see
what it means to me
to be a part of such a mystery

***

My friend Lauren (a soon-to-be-sophomore here at Muskingum) and I had a really good conversation last night at Denny's.

It was one of those take-notes-on-a-napkin conversations.

Anyway, we began talking about God as a creative Creator -- whose will, in its astounding perfection -- is bound to floor us.

For lack of a better analogy, I think it's good for followers of Jesus to establish that God isn't the 'old man in heaven,' you know, 'sitting on a throne and harshly judging each person who bites the dust' or something like that.

Lately, though, I've been wondering why God isn't just that 'old guy in the sky.'

Which brings me back to God as a creative Creator. Lauren and I talked about how often we tend to look for the prize -- relationships, sweet summer plans or just the next 'big thing,' and we miss out on the ways in which God is desiring to open our eyes with awe now. You know, even in the small stuff. (Don't sweat the small stuff; enjoy it...?)

As we're walking in His Spirit daily, we'll find ourselves surprised, filled with joy, even -- in response to the ways in which He has so faithfully provided for us.

I can't say that I always believe this, especially because crappy days are definitely a reality, but it's exciting to think about -- really exciting.

My prayer for you, friends, is that whatever stage you find yourself entering, you'd be so ready and willing to live for and be immersed in a God who is anxious to guide you through transition -- and astonish you at that.

"...[He] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." -Ephesians 3:20

Love you all.

-Jessie

We are in the process of being molded into more teachable followers of Jesus.

In the process of understanding the ways in which God really is consistently and abundantly providing for us, however, we can be overwhelmed by 'basic' truths that seemingly haven't soaked in yet...

***

In the last few days, I've had the opportunity to talk to a few friends about praying in boldness -- prayer embracing a God over all, in all and through all -- a God who knows and accepts the essence of who we are -- a God who aches for hearts aware of and prepared for His compassionate power.

If we entrust ourselves to a God who, in our depravity, chose to step into flesh and live, be crucified and be raised for us -- a God who is actively doing some big-time revamping in our lives -- can we also trust in Him to understand the desires of our hearts, and to actively respond without us "dancing around" Him?

I know this is something He is wanting to teach me about, and I pray (in increasing boldness...) that wherever you are in your journey with God, you too will be enthralled by Him and the ways in which He is working even now in your own life as well as His passion for honest, seeking hearts.

More on this later, for sure. For now, it's time to get some high quality REM. ;)

Keep seeking Him.

-Jessie